How I got to 30K followers in 1yr

There are a lot of articles on this topic, so why write one more? Because similar to the entrepreneurial journey, there is no singular script to success. We all have our own paths that branch off general themes and patterns. More stories help form a more complete picture out of the fuzziness, and can help others along on their journeys.

So here are 10 learnings from my journey I'd like to share. They are not prescriptive rules, but rather, my interpretations of them that helped me along the way.

1. On the topic of figuring out what you want to be known for:

I found this to be extremely important, and at the core. And just like a core, you can only have one, and you can't change or swap it out later on. Determine what you are singularly passionate about and make that your brand - for me, it is innovation. That is my passion. That is my expertise. That is the space I want to contribute to and hopefully be known as a thought leader. Concentrate your efforts to combust a following. Otherwise, you will dilute yourself to a generalist tilt that becomes very difficult to gather people around.

Let me cite two examples:

(i) the same post shared by someone known as a thought leader in the space will generate thousands of likes while the same post shared by someone who has just as many followers will get only a fraction of the engagement - this is because the follower base is not as aligned with the content

(ii) I came across someone with hundreds of thousands of followers lamenting about LinkedIn's "unfair" algorithm as the person's post about how to create a winning profile kept getting low engagement - the person was known for posting cute animal pics and videos

2. On the topic of setting up your profile:

Yes, all that you've read about having a hiQ and professional looking profile pic matters. Same with putting up a clear and concise description of why people would want to follow you. Take the time to describe your positions in your career, as well as other extra curricular activities. All solid advice.

However, and this is something I learned along the way, don't be a try hard. Don't say that you're a guru, or that you're a global keynote speaker (guilty as charged). I read some of the articles on why painting such a picture helps boost your stature - putting up images of large audiences, etc. I found it to be contrary to creating authenticity, even if the embellishments are based on truths. Besides, ask yourself - what type of people are you trying to attract?

Let your content do the talking.

3. On the topic of using analytics:

This is a big one: you must absolutely use LinkedIn's analytics to find what kind of posts work. Other social media platforms don't give you this critical information right off the bat. LinkedIn will tell you basic engagement metrics - companies, professions, and locations.

As with anything, it's a process of trial and error. Keep posting, see the metrics, adjust, optimize, and post again. Keep iterating and you will eventually find what works, and then double down on it.

4. On the topic of frequency of posting:

No, you don’t have to post everyday, but you must post often. Three times a week seems to work for me. The key, is to make the posts count. Take the time to think about sharing something that brings value to your audience, based on the metrics I described on #3. And if your post doesn't get much engagement, don't worry! Keep at it, keep trying, keep learning, keep adjusting - just like all entrepreneurs do.

5. On the topic of content media:

There are a lot of guides telling you to that text only is best, and that links to external websites are frowned upon by the LinkedIn algorithm. Perhaps that used to be the case, but the algorithm is not static and constantly evolves. Trying to game it is playing a never-ending game of cat and mouse. My advice is to avoid that game altogether.

Mix your content type, pics, videos, text, and yes, even links to external sites are fine - what's more important is the content itself and what you're trying to say. Don't get hung up on content type 'hacks' - they are footnotes compared to the content itself.

6. On the topic of the "Golden Hour":

Nobody really knows when a post will go viral - it's a combination of too many dynamic factors. There is some luck involved in the timing of things... who happens to be online, etc. Having said that, the "golden hour" still matters and is a good indicator if your post will gain a lot of traction.

Basically, you want to gain as much traction in the first hour of your post - many social media algorithms increase exposure of your content if it generates traction / engagement within in this time frame, including LinkedIn's. So after posting, try and engage with people in comments by liking and replying within this time frame.

7. On the topic of when to post:

There are many charts on this topic you can look up. Generally it's better to post in the mornings during the weekdays. That gives enough time during the day for more exposure. Posting late in the afternoons and at night doesn't help.

Posting on weekends is generally frowned on by articles, but I don't agree with them. Posting on Sundays works well for me, and also lets me talk about more personal or off-topics. I mean, I posted this article on a Sunday =D

8. On the topic of using tools to "hack" your growth:

Don't - you can't cheat your way to a following. I didn’t use so-called "engagement groups" or other ways to “accelerate” followers. And most definitely do not pay for followers and likes - you will have tens of thousands of followers but no engagement, and people can easily tell you bought your followers. Be authentic.

9. On the topic of playing it safe:

You need to be brave here - I get it, it's a professional network that is tied to your career. That doesn't mean that all you say are neutered and recycled thoughts - nobody wants to hear that. Say something unique - take a stand, back it up. Even reposted content can have unique interpretations that bring meaning to people - don’t just post a link with two sentences copy and pasted from the article. What's your take on it?

10. On the topic of posting "Facebook" content:

Do post about your personal life from time to time, people want to know you as a person as well! Key being, "time to time" - and with that, happy posting and see you online!